Onion-set digger.



G. G. SMITH. ONION SET BIGGER. nrmonmn rnnn nov. 24, 1908.

Patented Mar. 16, 1909.

QHARLES CARSON SMITH, OF BUECHEL, KENTUCKY.

ONION-SET BIGGER.

Application filed November 24, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES CARSON SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buechel, 'in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Onion- Set Diggers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention is a device for digging and separating or sifting onion setsand consists of the novel features of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and practical device whereby onion sets or the like may be quickly and effectively dug and the earth separated therefrom, thereby obviating the necessity of picking up and handling each separate set.

The above and other objects of the invention are accomplished in its preferred embodi ment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved onion set digger and separator; Fig. 2 is a top plan view Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section; and Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 44 in Fig. 1.

The invention comprises a long scoop-like sieve 1 secured at an angle to the lower end of a handle 2 which may be conveniently manipulated by both hands to force the scoop through the earth to dig up the onion sets and to then oscillate it to sift the loose dirt from them. The scoop or sieve 1 is preferably constructed, as illustrated, from a single piece of sheet metal bent transversely into semi-cylindrical or semi-oval form and having its bottom and'a portion of its sides formed with apertures or openings 3 of such size that the onion sets will not be permitted to drop therethrough. The for ward corners of the body 1 are rounded, as shown at 4, so that the device may be more readily forced through the ground and the rear end of said body is closed by an upright end wall 5 which unites the rear portions 6 of the sides. These rear portions 6 are of greater height than the front portions of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 16, 1909.

Serial No. 464,265.

sides of the body, as will be seen upon reference to Figs. 1 and 3, so that when the device is lifted from the ground and reciprocated to sift the ground or earth from the onion sets there will be little or no liability of the latter being thrown out of the body over its sides or end 5.

The handle 2 is united to the body 1 by means of an arch or inverted U-shaped support 7 uniting the sides of the body intermediate its ends and a longitudinally extending inclined brace 8. The rear end of the latter is bent downwardly and united by a rivet or the like 9 to the center of the end wall 5 and the front end of said brace is bent angularly, as shown at 10, and united to the handle 2 and to the arched support 7 by bolts or similar fastenings 11, 12, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. This construction provides an exceedingly strong and rigid connection between the handle and body and one which also serves to brace the body.

In using the device, the handle 2 is held in both hands and the front end of the scoop and sieve body 1 is forced through the ground beneath the onion sets so that the latter are picked up by the body.- The body is then lifted and reciprocated to sift the earth from the sets. The device therefore permits onion sets to be quickly and effectively dug up and separated without the necessity of handling each one and it, consequently, effects a great saving in time and labor.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a sheet metal body bent into substantially semi-cylindrical form and having its front end shaped to provide a scoop, its rear end being closed and its bottom being perforated to provide a sieve, the end wall and the rear portions of the side walls of the body being of greater height than the front portions of said side walls, an arched support between the side walls of the body intermediate its ends, a brace between said arched support and the rear end of the body and an inclined handle secured to the brace and said arched support.

2. A device of the character described In testimony whereof I hereunto afliX my comprising adbody in 13516 fOllllll of it scoopd signature in the presence of two Witnesses like sieve an having si e Wa s anc an en Wall, an arched support uniting the side CHARLES CARSON SMHH' 5 Walls, a brace between the end Wall and said Witnesses: g

arched support and an inclined handle con- R. W. COLE, nected to said brace and said arched support. N. G. AUSTIN. 

